YOU MUSTN'T QUIT - UNKNOWN AUTHOR

I'm a listener and intercessor, and so many have been sharing with me of great struggles, discouragement and hard trials they are facing. I came across this poem today and even though I'm not a boxing fan (reference to last paragraph), I felt this poem and the accompaning footnote, had a lot to say. Most times in life when you're tired of the battles, the struggles, the pain, and you're at your weariest is when you need to fight the hardest, pray the hardest, do all it takes because your victory may just be over the horizon. There are things in life worth fighting for especially when it's hard: your marriage, your family, the pregnancy that doesn't happen, the hope of a job that hasn't arrived yet, and so on. Scripture tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for, things yet unseen. I like the word "yet", it implies that it hasn't happened "yet", but it will.

YOU MUSTN'T QUIT - Unknown Author

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sign,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest! if you must-but never quit.

Life is queer, with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won if he'd stuck it out;
Stick to your task, though the pace seems slow-
You may succeed with one more blow.

Success is failure turned inside out-
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt-
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

From Poems that Touch the Heart, compiled by A. L. Alexander

It was James J. Corbett, former heavyweight champion of the world who said: "Fight one more round." When your feet are so tired you have to shuffle back to the center of the ring, fight one more round! When your arms are so tired that you can hardly lift your hands to come on guard, fight one more round! When your nose is bleeding and your eyes are black and you're so tired that you wish your opponent would crack you one on the jaw and put you to sleep-DON'T QUIT, FIGHT ONE MORE ROUND!

Snippet, Holiness Is What I Long For

Trina's Snippets
Holiness
Nancy Leigh DeMoss

“The message of repentance and holiness needs to be proclaimed, heard, and heeded among God’s people in every generation. It must become more than a theological tenet that we politely nod agreement to; it needs to transform the way we think and the way we live.”

“True holiness is the pathway to fullness of life and joy. To be holy is to be wholly satisfied with Christ. Above all, it is to reflect the beauty and the splendor of our holy Lord in this dark world. In pursuing holiness, you will fulfill and experience all that God had in mind when He created you.”

“A commitment to be holy is a commitment to be clean through and through--to have no unholy part. True holiness starts on the inside—with our thoughts, attitudes, values, and motives—those innermost parts of our hearts that only God can see. It also affects our outward and visible behavior: ‘Be holy in all your conduct.’ 1 Peter 1:15

“This passage for purity [1 Peter 1:15-previous paragraph] is what I saw in my dad’s example that made holiness so compelling to me as a young person. Of course, he often failed (and was willing to admit it when he did); but he sought to live a life that was morally upright and completely above reproach; in the way he ran his business,
used his time,
conducted himself with members of the opposite sex,
treated family members and employees,
talked about other people – [including his life mate and children,]
responded to critics,
spent his money,
and honored the Lord’s Day;
in his work habits,
leisure activities,
and entertainment choices—what he read and listened to and watched.
He so loved God that he wanted holiness to characterize every area of his life.”

“Holiness and joy are inseparable companions.”

*"Snippets"--clips, morsels, fragments from something I've read recently...something that has ministered to me or someone else.
They are meant to encourage, challenge, or cause us to ponder.
They may even cause you to run to the nearest bookstore and pick up a copy of the book they are snipped from.

If you forward "Snippets" to anyone, please send it in its entirety, not deleting the original source or author.

If you are on the "Snippet" email list and wish to be removed, please email me. If you would like to be added to the Snippet list, just email me at the below address.
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Snippets birthed May 10, 2003

Scripture for Memory and Mediation #18 AUTUMN

Isaiah 55:12 NIV

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field with clap their hands."

Okay, this may seem trivial, but I turn 50 this month. One day I'm at peace with this changing season or my life and the next I want to hold it at bay. As the earth season is now changing from summer to fall, I feel in a sense that my life is going from summer to fall. I have never worried about a birthday before this one and I have been determined for the past 350 plus days (since turning 49) that I would not succumb to being blue over this one. I don't fear death or anything like that, I'm just seeing this birthday as a real change of season for me and I've had a few bouts of the blues. Praise God though, He is faithful to lift me out of this place quickly.

I've always loved this scripture, Isaiah 55:12, because it speaks of joy and hope in change. God first laid this Word on my heart when I left my hometown to move with my husband's job promotion. I looked at it as a God adventure.

Even as I'm writing this and thoughts of this becoming the autumn of my life, I am reminded that every day for the past two weeks with cooler weather I've exclaimed that I love the fall and I love the change of season. I think God may be trying to tell me something. (Big smile)

Maybe this autumn season is going to be my most favorite of all since it is my most favorite season in the earth cycle. Today, I go outside and stand in the fall weather and lift up my head to the heavens and exclaim, I will go out, from the spring and summer seasons of my life, with joy and in the presence of my loving Father, I am being led forth in peace. This will be a most joyful season and the mountains and hills will burst into song before me and the trees of the field will clap their hands.

I love autumn!

A Call to Anguish: David Wilkerson via The Bravehearted Gospel

http://braveheartedgospel.com/Home.html

Scripture for Memory and Mediation #17

Psalm 62:5-6 NIV

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.
He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Fortress, I will not be shaken."

In a world full of turmoil, in our lives full of turmoil we often try to find solace, direction, counsel, or guidance from those around us and they may or may not be able to give us some comfort, some guidance, some encouragement. Ultimately though, they will not be able to meet the deepest needs within us.

I and my family have had to walk through many journeys over the years that have been trying and at times devastating; probably no more than anyone else has had to endure. Individually and as a family we have been immensely blessed to have the love, support, encouragement, and counsel of godly friends. But when push comes to shove and our back is against the wall, there is no other like the Lord, my Rock, my Salvation, my Fortress.

When I used the word “endure” in a preceding paragraph, it short changes the experiences. Yes, we do endure, but we also have the opportunity to grow in our own faith and trust in God. We go beyond leaning on the faith of our faith-strong friends and family to a place of leaning on our Father in a very personal and intimate way. If we press into Him and His Word, we will find He is faithful, loving, and sovereign. In fact, He is the epitome of faithfulness, love, and sovereignty. I have found Him to be these and in this I have found I can trust Him and His work in and through life’s circumstances. He has never left me nor forsaken me. Through the trials of life, He has taken the situation, the issues, the pain, the brokenness and transformed me to the very core of my person and character. He has comforted me in His love, He has weeded out things that needed weeding out of my life and character, He has grown more of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in me, He has been my guide through the turbulent waters, He is my God and my Friend.

I have found my rest in Him, my hope in Him. He is my Rock, my Salvation, my fortress and in Him I will not be shaken. Glory to God!

If you are traveling in rough waters presently, run to Him as if running into a fortress from your enemy. Lean into Him as John leaned upon His chest at the last supper. Rest in Him as Elijah did after His confrontation with the priests of Baal. You will find His agape love, His endless faithfulness, and His royal sovereignty!